Later on in his career, Drallig began his servitude as a lightsaberinstructor, in keeping with the Jedi custom of passing on their special knowledge to the next generation[3]—especially seeing as Drallig possessed true talent as a swordsman.[9] Over his career, Drallig taught the basics of Forms I through VI to thousands of students, including such stars-to-be as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.[1][5] In 31 BBY, one of Master Drallig’s classes on the seven forms of lightsaber combat was recorded on the Great Holocron.[10]

At some point, Drallig was introduced to the contentious and troublesome Padawan Serra Keto. Serra’s defiant ways had nearly gotten her expelled from the Order on more than one occasion, and her Jedi Masters were exasperated. Envisioning the great Jedi she had the potential to become, Master Drallig took young Serra as his Padawan and helped her find her center. Under Drallig’s guidance, Serra's understanding of the Force and her lightsaber skills blossomed, inspiring a strong bond of devotion between student and Master. Though it never entirely disappeared, Keto's rebelliousness eventually subsided,[8] and she went on to become Master Drallig's most accomplished apprentice.[9]

After many years of service and attaining the rank of Jedi Master[3][8][9] (no earlier than 31 BBY),[10] Drallig was elected battlemaster[2] (or swordmaster),[4] making him the leading lightsaber combat instructor in the Temple.[2] Though it smacked of disrespect, Drallig earned the unflattering nickname of "the Troll" among the Order.[1][2][3][5]

During the time of the galaxy-spanning Clone Wars, Drallig was tasked with protecting the Jedi Temple. As head of security there, he spent most of his time in the Temple, patrolling its corridors and pathways. His position also put him in charge of the Jedi Temple Guard and their assignments.[3][11] As the Clone Wars continued to unfold, Drallig grew particularly concerned with the growing hostility towards the Jedi from Republic citizens.[11]

Stationed on Coruscant,[1] Drallig made his home deep within the Jedi Temple.[8] Despite his diligent watch on security, however, intrusions into the Temple did happen, such as when bounty hunterCad Banestole a Jedi holocron from a restricted vault and got away.[3][12]

Around 20 BBY,[13] two years into the war, the Jedi Temple hangar was the site of a shocking terrorist bombing that cost numerous lives, prompting Cin Drallig to keep an especially close watch on the Temple’s perimeter.[3] A throng of protestors—family and friends of workers killed in the explosion—gathered at the steps of the Temple to criticize the Jedi’s involvement in the war. Flanked by two members of the Jedi Temple Guard, Drallig stood before the masses when Anakin Skywalker showed a hologram of a suspect, Jackar Bowmani, to the Jedi Master, which was seen by Bowmani's wife Letta Turmond.[14] Master Drallig admired young Skywalker's assertiveness in solving the alarming case,[3] but was most concerned at how vulnerable the Order had become, and how the image of the Jedi as benevolent protectors had become much too fragile.

In addition to his responsibilities as head of security, Drallig still found the time to teach lightsaber combat, as indeed the ongoing war placed emphasis on Padawans' combat training in favor of other abilities.[6] After the death of fellow Jedi Mierme Unill, Unill's Padawan, Zett Jukassa was informally assigned to Master Drallig, awaiting reassignment.[6] Under Drallig’s tutelage, Jukassa became capable as a swordsman by the age of 10, in 19 BBY.[1]

Though Jedi Masters Shaak Ti and Jurokk directed the Temple's defense the night of Order 66,[5] Drallig nonetheless played a major part that fateful night. He was in the process of giving lightsaber lessons to teenage Padawans Bene and Whie Malreaux when the Sith Lord began his murderous rampage.[15] Deep within the Jedi Temple he prepared for Vader's coming,[9] directing such Jedi as Olana Chion in the Temple's defense.[16] Engaging the clones alongside Serra Keto, Drallig’s efforts proved initially successful, as he managed to penetrate the occupying forces' upper level defenses. As Vader was alerted to this, however, he went on a hunt for his former lightsaber instructor. Entering Drallig’s territory, Vader discovered what carnage had been wrought there, with dead clones and the signs of battle being everywhere. Before Drallig could move against the Dark Lord, however, Serra Keto confronted Vader on her own, and was slain.[9]

As Drallig rushed into the room, he witnessed Keto fall to the Sith Lord.[9] Engaging Vader in the Temple training hall[1][9][17] along with two of his students, Bene and Whie Malreaux, they were nonetheless unable to defeat the Dark Lord. Vader outclassed both Padawans, choking Bene with one hand while he dueled Drallig with the other.[7][18][19] The battlemaster himself ultimately proved unable to defeat a raging Sith Lord in combat.[2] After the demise of the Padawans, Vader cut down Drallig following a short exchange of lightsaber strikes. The incident was recorded by Temple security camera TR4-121.[1]

Drallig's body was later found by Grand Master Yoda and Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, who had returned to the Temple to reset the emergency beacon to warn all surviving Jedi to flee into exile. The discovery caused Kenobi great grief, having considered the battlemaster a friend.[5] Kenobi and Yoda also watched the security recording of the battlemaster's fatal last duel.[18]

With the Order nearly extinct overnight, the newly emerged Galactic Empire needed to cover up the true reasons for the execution of the Republic's peacekeepers. On behest of EmperorPalpatine, Sate Pestage compiled official reasons for each Jedi's death. Incident report #890-I, filed by CommanderCC-1119, contained Master Drallig’s certificate of death, while Pestage reported to the public that the battlemaster had been "killed in combat against Imperial agents."[1]

Cin Drallig's legacy was passed down by those Jedi who survived to train others, including Master Kenobi's training of Luke Skywalker.[20]

While still adjusting to his life-supporting armor, Darth Vader often reflected upon the actions that had brought him to such a state. One of his clearer memories was that of crossing blades with Master Drallig, his former lightsaber instructor, the night of Order 66.[21]

Cin Drallig was an esteemed Jedi Master, possessing both great skill as a swordsman and a calmness of mind and spirit. Described as patient, focused, and directed, and representing the tenets of the Jedi Order in their purest form, he had given himself over completely to the will of the living Force. Despite his great reputation as a warrior, his humbleness of character was such that he dedicated his life to training countless Padawans in the art of the lightsaber, leading by example and instilling in his students a sense of the Order's values and beliefs. Where several other Masters had failed, Drallig was also the only one insightful enough to see the great potential of rebellious Padawan Serra Keto, and reach through to her to make that potential become reality.[8]

In his recording on the Great Holocron, Drallig presented some personal views on the matter of lightsaber combat. In the wake of death caused by Aurra Sing and Darth Maul, and unlike some Jedi Masters, Cin Drallig refused to dismiss the study of Form II as impractical. He remained cautiously neutral regarding Form V, taking the side of neither proponent nor detractor, but emphasizing the need for such an offensive form to be used only with the proper intention of preserving peace. He also conceded that Form VI being the standard form of the Jedi Order did not mark it as the most worthy of study, but in general the most practical. As for cho mok, Master Drallig discouraged its use unless the student possessed enough knowledge of the opponent's physiology, so as to not accidentally kill. Master Drallig further stated that a Jedi should not hesitate to use any combat technique to kill a Sith Lord, not even sai tok. He stressed that the student's mindset must be that of defeating the danger the Sith pose, not to wish utter destruction upon them.[10]

Cin Drallig's lightsaber instructor was none other than Master Yoda himself,[2][5] and with time, Drallig became an incredibly skilled swordsman.[9]

By the time of the Clone Wars, Master Drallig was old[5] but still one of the Jedi's top swordsmen,[1] his skills described as being "nearly unparalleled."[8] It was the conviction of CountDooku, that the cyborg GeneralGrievous' unpolished fighting style, would not save him should he ever have to face off against Master Drallig.[22]

Drallig was an instructor in all seven forms of lightsaber combat, teaching the basics of Forms I through VI to thousands of students,[1] but being more cautious whom to trust with Form VII. For example, Anakin Skywalker, as a Padawan, lamented the fact that Master Drallig wouldn't let him study Form VII.[23]

Despite being the Temple’s finest swordmaster at the time of Darth Vader's raid on the Jedi Temple,[4][24] even Cin Drallig was no match for the Sith Lord and the specially bred troopers of the 501st Legion. By killing Master Drallig and his apprentice, Serra Keto, Vader had successfully removed one of the Temple's last hopes.[9]

In addition to his mastery of lightsaber combat, Cin Drallig was very adept in the use of Force speed, often using it in combat to overwhelm his opponents.[9] The Jedi Master was also proficient in the use of the protection bubble, which he used during his battle against Darth Vader. He was also capable of making this an offensive technique as well, encasing Vader within the bubble, and hurting him with its Force energy.[9]

The name "Cin Drallig" comes from reversing Nick Gillard's name, only removing the "k" in "Nick".

In the novels, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen, Cin Drallig’s death is depicted as taking place in the Room of a Thousand Fountains (not the Temple training hall), where a large group of younglings were being protected by several Padawans. When Vader arrived in the greenhouse, he cut down Whie Malreaux and another teenage Padawan before quickly overwhelming Drallig and hacking through his shoulder. With Drallig and the older Padawans dead, the remaining children were quickly cut down by blasterfire. When Yoda and Obi-Wan later find Drallig's body, Yoda comments that Drallig would not abandon his young students.[5]

In the film, he is seen only briefly in a holographic recording, however, he has a larger role in the video game. In the video game, Anakin kills Cin Drallig by impaling him via a lightsaber throw. The duel also takes place in the training room above and on the terrace outside the room of a thousand fountains. According to Keeper of the Holocron Leland Chee, however, Drallig's death as it appears in the game is non-canon. Also, in the film, Drallig has dark blond hair, however, in the video game, he is shown with white hair. He is also wearing a different costume.

In the video game, Cin appears as a duel character. When the players both select Cin, one of them controls a seemingly dark side-version of him: dark robes, darker hair and a red lightsaber.

As Kit Fisto's lightsaber hilt was a personal favorite of Nick Gillard, Cin Drallig's lightsaber hilt bears a resemblance to Fisto's.[source?] Based on behind the scenes materials, the lightsaber blade was originally to be rotoscoped in yellow. However, George Lucas would only allow either blue or green as the color of any regular Jedi's lightsaber blade. With the exception of Samuel L. Jackson's violet lightsaber blade he used as Mace Windu, Lucas would go no further with other colors. With no choice, Nick Gillard chose green instead;[source?] however, in a promotional image, Drallig is shown with a blue lightsaber by mistake.

There is a possible appearance in the Star Wars: the Force Unleashed novel as one of PROXY's training modules, but that has not been confirmed by the LucasArts team.